Even if members of the Cabinet gave President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a perfect score on his “comprehensive” State of the Nation Address (SONA), political analysts and some business organizations said there are still missing elements—particularly the swift filing of charges against the President’s cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, over his alleged participation in the questionable insertion of billions of pesos in government funds for state-led flood control projects.

Amid assurances that the Office of the Ombudsman has already reached the point of filing multiple charges against Romualdez, political analyst and University of Santo Tomas Political Science Department head Professor Dennis Coronacion said such assurances are not convincing.

“Hangga’t walang nakikitang konkretong aksyon o pag-usad sa mga kaso laban sa kanyang pinsan, mahihirapan ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino na maniwala sa mga pahayag ng Pangulo sa kanyang SONA,” the professor told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

After assuring the public that multiple charges would be filed against Romualdez, the President said: “Masakit man sa akin ito ngunit kailangan nating gawin ang tama. Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking pamilya, hindi ako Pangulo ng aking kaibigan. Ako ay Pangulo ng Pilipinas; ang tungkulin ko ay sa inyo, mga kapwa kong Pilipino,” which, according to Coronacion, left a lingering question in the minds of the Filipino people.

“Ang tanong ng bayan ngayon: Bakit napakatagal makasuhan ni dating Speaker Romualdez? Proteksyon ba ito dahil sa ugnayan ng pamilya, o baka naman talagang nahihirapan lang ang gobyerno sa pagbuo ng matibay na ebidensya?” the UST educator said.

Asked what grade he would give the President for his SONA, even after he received 126 rounds of applause from the audience, Coronacion gave Marcos a failing grade of 4, with 10 being the highest.

Imee to her brother: Another budol

Immediately after the SONA, the President's sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, called the President's statement another fraud.

“Pawang pambubudol na naman ang sinabi ng Pangulo na malapit nang sampahan ng kaso ng Ombudsman si dating Speaker Martin Romualdez,” she said.

The lawmaker also questioned why the filing of charges against Romualdez has taken so long, unlike the cases against lawmakers critical of the administration, particularly Sens. Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada.

“Nakakapagtaka lang na kung gaano kabilis maghain ng kaso laban sa mga senador na tutol sa administrasyon ay siya namang kay kupad ng hustisyang mag-apruba at magrekomenda ng hatol para sa mga kilalang kaalyado ng pamahalaan,” she said.

She also called for accountability from lawmakers who benefited from the questionable budget insertions involving billions of pesos in government funds.

“Hindi mag-isa si Martin Romualdez sa malawakang korapsyon ng pera at kapangyarihan.

Hindi siya ang simula at hindi siya ang dulo, at kung siya ang ipipilit, ibig bang sabihin, PINATAKBO NIYANG MAG-ISA ANG GOBYERNONG ITO? Anyare na sa "MAHIYA NAMAN KAYO" -eh ligtas pa rin naman ang mga walang hiya,” the lawmaker said.